Folklore expert will lecture on ‘Rumors, Race and Hurricane Katrina’ Patricia A. Turner (above), a national expert on rumors and race in America, will address issues at the core of individual and public perceptions of the Hurricane Katrina disaster in a speech Aug. 29 at 4:30 p.m. in Room 265 of Park Hall. The event is open free to the public. Her address, “Rumors, Race and Hurricane Katrina” will draw on her expertise in folklore and popular culture. Turner is a professor in the African-American and African Studies/American Studies Program and vice provost for undergraduate studies at the University of California, Davis. She has written three books: I Heard It Through the Grapevine: Rumor in African-American Culture (1993); Ceramic Uncles and Celluloid Mammies: Black Images and Their Influence on Culture (1994); and Whispers on the Color Line: Rumor and Race in America (2001), written with Gary Alan Fine (former head of the department of sociology at UGA). The event is sponsored by the department of English, the Willson Center for Humanities and Arts and the Folklore Studies Group. —Philip Lee Williams Museum exhibition highlights American painter John Grabach: Century Man, an exhibition spotlighting the works of the dynamic American painter, will be on view at the Georgia Museum of Art until Sept. 16. The work of Grabach (1880-1981) focuses on varied views of the American city, from neighborhood life to urban centers. He possessed a strong spirit of nationalism and portrayed life at a period in American history that, though difficult due to the Great Depression and World War II, now seems romantic and full of adventure. This exhibition will highlight drawings, watercolors and paintings, many of which have not been on view for the public in more than 60 years. “John Grabach’s diverse work reflects the influences of Impressionism, the Ashcan School, abstraction and American scene painting on the career of a single artist,” said Paul Manoguerra, curator of American art at the museum. “The Georgia Museum of Art is pleased to be one of only four venues in the nation to host this important monographic exhibition.” Grabach was born in Greenfield, Mass., and moved with his family to Newark, N.J., in 1881. Grabach expressed an interest in art at a very early age, using the windows in his house as his first canvas to trace outlines of birds he saw through the glass. By his early 20s, Grabach already had achieved considerable success for his work, but he found his greatest inspiration when he moved into a studio in New York overlooking the Brooklyn Bridge. The sometimes bleak, somewhat seamy side of the city fueled his growing interest in urban life as a subject for his paintings. Grabach worked extensively in oil and watercolor, approaching these media with energy and inventiveness. It was in the latter that he would produce ambitious and successful works focused on the urban and industrial settings. “His work served as a mild expression of social modernism in a time when protest art was on the rise and America was moving in a new direction,” Manoguerra said. “He also produced some large exhibition paintings that provided social commentary on the uncertain times between the two world wars.” Although Grabach is best known for his urban paintings done in a style reminiscent of the work of George Bellows, he also created a significant body of art inspired by the winter landscape of New England. —Johnathan McGinty

Art exhibitions.
Branching Out, works by Ann Vinson. Through Aug. 28. State Botanical Garden, Visitor Center. (706) 542-6130, villella@uga.edu.

A Place For Us: The Challenges of Housing in Athens and Surrounding Areas. Through Aug. 31. Richard B. Russell Library. (706) 542-5788.

Photos of local housing challenges taken by volunteers as part of the Russell-Roosevelt Public Policy Institute. New and historical footage of the Athens area from 1946 and 2007 complement the photos.

Imprinting the South: Works on Paper from the Collection of Lynn Barstis Williams and Stephen J. Goldfarb. Through Sept. 16. Georgia Museum of Art. (706) 542-4662, www.uga.edu/gamuseum.

From etchings to relief prints, lithographs and a few serigraphs, this exhibition combines Southern subjects from the 1920s to the 1940s.

John Grabach: Century Man. Through Sept. 16. Georgia Museum of Art. (706) 542-4662, www.uga.edu/gamuseum. (See story at right).

Snap to Grid, an exhibition by Brett MacFadden. Through Sept. 28. Opening reception with the artist on Aug. 28 from 5:30–7 p.m. Broad Street Gallery, Lamar Dodd School of Art. (706) 542-0069, www.art.uga.edu.

Photographs of Antarctica, Shimmering sunsets, marching penguins, vast tundras, blowing snow, gorgeous skies and golden icebergs are just a few of the photographic images of Antarctica currently on display at the College of Education.

The photos are the work of painter, photographer and former UGA faculty member Bob Hart and his wife, Nancy, and some of their friends, who spent two weeks on the southernmost continent in December 2006.

The photos are on display in the college’s Office of Information Technology (Room 232 Aderhold Hall) through Sept. 28.

“When friends ask us to describe why Antarctica is one of our favorite ventures, the words ‘magnificent,’ ‘beautiful,’ ‘remarkable,’ and ‘unbelievable,’ although true, do not adequately depict our impressions. Others have said they can’t describe it, that you have to see it for yourself,” said Hart. “The photographs in this show come closer than our words ever can.”

Hart, who retired from the College of Education in 2002, taught in the department of instructional technology and was director of the college’s Center for Educational Technology. He began his interest in art in 1968 when he enrolled in his first photography class as an undergraduate journalism student at UGA.

Nancy Hart retired in 2001 from the Oglethorpe County Schools where she was principal of Oglethorpe Elementary School. She has been traveling extensively and taking photographs of her travels ever since.

Five of the photographs in the show are by friends who were on the trip: Dennis Green, Vernice Kingsbury, Gwen Kingsbury and Fred Padgelek.

Sponsored by the College of Education, bob320@earthlink.net.

More than Words: Illustrated Letters from the Smithsonian’s Archives of American Art. Through Oct. 14. Georgia Museum of Art. Sponsored by the W. Newton Morris Charitable Foundation and the Friends of the Georgia Museum of Art. (706) 542-4662, www.uga.edu/gamuseum.

Personal letters from some of the most important artists of the 19th and 20th centuries, including Frida Kahlo and Andy Warhol, will be on display. Most of the letters include drawings, caricatures, watercolors or collages.

History Lives! in the Russell Library. Through Feb. 1. Richard B. Russell Library Main Gallery. (706) 542-5788.

An exhibition featuring the greatest hits from the Russell Library’s rich political collections including information about Watergate, civil rights, historic political campaigns, environmental and agricultural history, and international relations.

Monday, August 27
Interfraternity and Panhellenic Blood Drive.
10 a.m.– 4 p.m. Georgia Hall, Tate Student Center. Sponsored by the American Red Cross and the Interfraternity and Panhellenic Councils. (678) 227-4650.

Blood Drive.
2:30–7:30 p.m. Catholic Center. Sponsored by the American Red Cross and the Catholic Center. (678) 227-4650.

Tuesday, August 28
All-Campus Blood Drive.
Noon–5 p.m. Memorial Hall Ballroom. Sponsored by the American Red Cross. (678) 227-4650.

Blood Drive.
Noon–5 p.m. Brumby Hall Rotunda. Sponsored by the American Red Cross. (678) 227-4650.

Reality TV discussion.
R.E.A.L. Talks: “Is Reality TV Real?” 6–8 p.m. 407 Adinkra Hall, Memorial Hall. Sponsored by Multicultural Services and Programs. (706) 542-5773, sgoolsby@uga.edu.

An examination of the origins of stereotypes in reality TV as well as reality TV’s effects on society and pop culture.

Garden concert.
Performance by Grogus. $15 ($10 for Friends of the Garden). 7–9 p.m. International Garden, State Botanical Garden. Sunflower Music Series. (706) 542-6014, sbgevent@uga.edu.

Grogus incorporates Afro-Cuban and Caribbean dance and vocal music, including son, descarga and salsa.

Debate.
“Ron Jeremy vs. Craig Gross: Ideas and Issues.” $3 (free for UGA students with valid ID). 7:30 p.m. Georgia Hall, Tate Student Center. Sponsored by University Union. www.uga.edu/union/events.htm, unionii@uga.edu.

Wednesday, August 29
Volunteer Resource Fair.
10 a.m.–2 p.m. Plaza, Tate Student Center. Sponsored by Volunteer UGA’s Center for Leadership and Service.

Find volunteer opportunities with student service groups and Athens-area nonprofit, social service and government agencies. (706) 583-0830, www.uga.edu/cls.

Blood Drive.
Noon–5 p.m. Lobby, Science Library. Sponsored by the American Red Cross. (678) 227-4650.

lecture.
“Rumors, Race and Hurricane Katrina,” Patricia A. Turner, University of California, Davis. 4:30 p.m. 265 Park Hall. Sponsored by the English department, the Willson Center for Humanities and Arts and the Folklore Studies Group. (See story above).

Concert.
Figgie’s@Five. 5 p.m. $5. Georgia Museum of Art. Sponsored by Jackson Spalding Public Relations, the Healthy Gourmet and Northeast Sales Distributing. (706) 542-4662, www.uga.edu/gamuseum.

Thursday, August 30
Groundbreaking Ceremony.
10 a.m. Griffin campus Student Learning Center (1109 Experiment St., Griffin). Reception immediately follows.

Other Griffin campus buildings will be open for tours before and after the groundbreaking ceremony.

Bulldog Book club meeting.
Joseph Heller’s Catch-22 will be discussed. 3:35 p.m. Main Library student lounge. Blue card event. Sponsored by the English department and the UGA Libraries. fteague@uga.edu.

WORKSHOP.
“Concrete Leaf-Casting.” $25 (members $22). 6:30– 8:30 p.m. State Botanical Garden, Visitor Center, classroom A. (706) 542-6156, dbmitchl@uga.edu.

Cast elephant ears into concrete forms to make birdbaths, water features or accents for the garden.

Friday, August 31
Campus Coffee Hour.
11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. Memorial Hall Ballroom. Hosted by Amnesty International. (706) 542-5867, careyk@uga.edu.

First Friday.
“Day with the Dawgs!” 2–8 p.m. Tate Student Center Plaza (pep rally at 7 p.m.). Sponsored by the Alumni Association. www.alumni.uga.edu/alumni.

Special guests throughout the day include UGA cheerleaders, pep band, Hairy Dawg and Damon Evans, director of athletics.

Dedication ceremony.
Coliseum Training Facility. 4 p.m.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony and tours will highlight the opening of the new $30 million, 120,000-square-foot practice space for the basketball and gymnastics teams.

Soccer.
vs. Texas Tech. 7 p.m. Turner Soccer Complex. Nike Invitational Challenge.

Saturday, September 1
Football.
vs. Oklahoma State University. 6:45 p.m. Sanford Stadium. ESPN2-TV.

Sunday, September 2
Soccer.
vs. Wisconsin. 1 p.m. Turner Soccer Complex. Nike Invitational Challenge.

Opening Reception .
For the Paintings: Environmental Reverberations exhibition. 1:30–3:30 p.m. State Botanical Garden, Visitor Center. (706) 542-6130, villella@uga.edu.

A series that illustrates patterns in natural and man-made environments, the paintings reflect the importance of appreciating and protecting the environment and owning responsibility for the abundance of waste.

monday, September 3
Labor Day holiday.
No classes. UGA offices closed. Food Services on limited operation. Bolton and Snelling open, Oglethorpe and The Summit closed.

coming Up
CPR Training.
Sept. 4. Heartsaver ‘Save a Life’ CPR Training. $25 for adult class, $40 for children and infants class. 8:30 a.m.– 11:30 a.m. University Health Center. Certified by the American Heart Association. Class size limited; register in advance. (706) 542-8695.

General CPR training for students, faculty and staff.

Volleyball.
Sept. 4. vs. USC Upstate. 7 p.m. Ramsey Student Center.

BULLDOG Book Club meeting.
Sept. 5. Joseph Heller’s Catch-22 will be discussed. 12:30 p.m. Jittery Joe’s, Student Learning Center. Blue card event. Sponsored by the English department and the UGA Libraries. fteague@uga.edu.

Staff Council Meeting.
Sept. 5. 2:30 p.m. 150 Student Learning Center. (706) 227-5395.

Peabody Awards Screening.
Sept. 5. 7 p.m. Room 102, Student Learning Center. (706) 542-8983, nholston@uga.edu.

Screening of this year’s Peabody Awards ceremony that featured host Bob Costas and recipients including Spike Lee (When the Levees Broke), Bill Lawrence (Scrubs) and Aaron McGruder (The Boondocks).

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